Why You Swear in Anglo-Saxon and Order Fancy Food in French: Registers

2013-06-14

[public] 1.35M views, 48.9K likes, 275 dislikes audio only

http://tomscott.com - @tomscott - Why is an "odour" classier than a "smell"? Why is a "beverage" fancier than a "drink"? The answer lies in English history - and in the way we automatically know which 'register' of language to use. (Includes bonus medieval advice for constipation!)

Tom's Language Files by Tom Scott
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